Method of ornamenting and improving prepared roofing.



M. B. BECKER.

' METHOD OF ORNAM ENTING AND IMPROVING PREPARED ROOFING.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. i6, l9l5. 1,174,960. Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

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M. B. BECKER. METHOD OF ORNAMENTING AND IMPROVING PREPARED ROOFING.

mmgem APPLICATION FILED APR- 16, I9I5.

' Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. B. BECKER.

METHOD OF ORNAMENTING AND IMPROVING PREPARED ROOFING.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1915. 1,174,966. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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MATHIAS B. BECKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

-METHOD OF ORNAMENTING AND IMPROVING PREPARED ROOFING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14., 1916.

Application filed April 16, 1915. Serial No. 21,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIAS B. BECKER, citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Ornamenting and Improving Prepared Roofing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of ornamenting and improving so-called prepared or ready-to-lay roofing composed of a web of paper felt or other suitable material impregnated and coated with asphaltum and having one face completely covered with granular grit partially embedded in and held by the asphaltum coating, and which imparts to said face of said roofing a permanent color other than that of the asphaltum. The character of the grit employed is relatively coarse, crushed slate, granite, tile and other comparatively non-absorbent materials which will not discolor by the absorption of the asphaltic oils. The invention has for its particular object to impart to or apply upon the grit coated surface of such roofing a predetermined design or configuration giving the said surface the appearance of tile, slate, cut shingles and the like, in imitation of roofs composed of these several materials.

The essential object of the invention is to provide a method of so ornamenting such roofing as to render such ornamentation thereof permanent and at the same time effectually reinforce the roofing material and 40 afford protection for the grit particles by so applying the ornamentation as to cause the same to form ridges projecting above the grit coated surface and affording fendw ers against the washing or carrying away of the grit by snow, ice and the elements generally.

Heretofore I have patented and practised a method having the same objects in view,

said method being fully described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,024,549,

issued to me on. April 30, 1912, and the product of said method has been patented to me by Letters Patent No. 1,024,550 of the same date.

While my present method is designed to accomplish substantially the same objects as the method described and claimed in the aforesaid Letters Patent it is carried out in a wholly different manner and produces a different result, as will be apparent from the following description.

In the patented method the' ornamenting material consists of asphaltum diluted with creosote or benzin, the said creosote or benzln being solvents for asphaltum, so that upon applying to the grit coated surface of the roofing asphaltum diluted with or dissolved in creosote or benzin, it will flow through the interstices between the grit particles over which it is applied, and will effect an amalgamation between the applied material and the grit holding asphaltum coating of the roofing. In practice it has been found that while this method is very efficient, the creosote or other solvent employed continues its activity for a relatively long period after application of the ornamenting material to the roofing. The latter is flexible and immediately after applying said ornamenting material thereto it is rolled up and stacked preparatory to distribution. While so rolled up the activity of the creosote or benzin continues with the result that it attacks the under face of the roofing in the convolutions of the roll and causes the said convolutions to stick together, frequently with such tenacity as to resist all efforts to unroll such roofing without destroying or greatly injuring the same. This was partially overcome by a later method described and claimed in my application for Letters Patent Ser. No. 718,459 and while this eliminated a considerable amount of trouble thus experienced it is not entirely overcome thereby.-

My present method, therefore, has for its object to effectively decorate the roofing in such a manner and by the use of such materials as will preclude the adhesion of the convolutions of the rolls to each other.

This method consists essentially in applying to the grit coated surface of the roofing pure asphaltum heated to a very high degree, preferably just slightly below what is known as the flash point of such asphaltum and "by means of an equally hot metallic die or roller having a raised surface of the configuration of the predetermined design intended to be applied to the grit coated face in imitation of shingles, tile,

etc. The heat of thedroller penetrates through the grit to an extent sufiicient to soften that portion of the asphaltum coating of the roofing in which those grit particles with which the roller contacts to become very soft and, in cases where the grit is of an unusually small mesh, will render such underlying asphaltum fluent, This die or roller has its printing surface dipped 1' in the hot and fluent asphaltum which is applied to the grit coated surface thereby and upon those portions which are subjected to the heat of said die or roller, the latter being preferably employed. The intense heat of this fluid asphaltum will be radiated or communicated to the asphaltum below those portions of the grit coating upon which the same is applied and, as said asphaltum is very fluent, it will immediately flow through the interstices between the grit particles and contact with the underlying asphaltum and will further or s1multaneously withthe action of the die or roller heat such portions of the asphaltum coating to a degree sufficient to render the same temporarily fluent, and during this fluent interval the said applied asphaltum will become welded with the asphaltum coating be low the grit coating so that the last-named asphaltum coating will become increased in thickness to the depth of the superposed layer by the amalgamation of the latter therewith. Obviously the absorption of heat from the intensely hot applied asphaltum will immediately coagulate it to a degree which will deprive it of its free flowing qualities, and will, therefore, prevent the same from flowing laterally of the lines, stripes, or areas upon which it is applied by the die or roller. The free flowing qualities may, if desired, be further eliminated by applying to the grit coated surface, immediately after the application of said fluid asphaltum to the same, sand or other relatively fine mineral matter which will become partially embedded in the still hot and fluent material, and will penetrate between the grit particles thus'practically damming and at the same time thickening the applied fluid asphaltum and effectively preventing the same from flowing laterally as aforesaid. The effect of the application of such sand or similar material will also be to further chill the hot portions of the roofing and will hasten complete coagulation and hardening thereof to a degree depriving the same of its adhesive. characteristics so that when the roofing is rolled up the danger'of the convolutions of the roll adhering to each other is obviated. In place of the application of the said sand or similar fine particles to the roofing while said pattern portion is still soft and more or less fluent, a blast of cold air may be applied in any suitable way to ffect chilling and coagulation thereof and similarly it will be obvious that the sand or similar material may be applied and imme-- diately thereafter the roofing subjected to a chilling process of any suitable character whereby to more effectively promote coagulation and hardening and prevent the adhesion or sticking of the convolutions of the roll to each other.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed for carrying out the aforesaid method and the latter may be still more effectively carried out if applied immediately after the grit particles have been applied to the asphaltum coated surface as the latter leaves the impregnating and coating vat and while the body of the roofing is still relatively hot and soft.

In practice I prefer to carry out the proc ess continuously by placing the web of paper or other suitable material in'a vat of boiling asphaltum to be impregnated and coated with said material and as said Web is drawn from the vat apply to one face thereof in any suitable manner the color imparting grit particles such as crushed slate and the like. Then while said roofing is still hot and soft cause it to pass through the apparatus or machine for applying to the grit coated face or surface the ornamental superposed layer of hot asphaltum in the manner hereinbefore specifically set forth to impart to the roofing the ornamental appearance hereinbefore referred to.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating suitable apparatus for carrying out my sa id method in its preferred manner, Figure 1- is a top plan view showing the web impregnating vat and the apparatus for applying the ornamenting material. Fig. -2- is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1--. Fig; -3-- is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. -1. Fig. --4- is a vertical transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. -1-. Figs. -5 and -6 are fragmentary views in elevation showing the ornamented face of roofing after the same has been subjected to my said method.

The said apparatus comprises a vat 1 for asphaltum heated in a suitable manner to render the same fluent and capable of penetrating into for impregnating the web of paper or the like immersed therein. The said web is adapted to be drawn from the vat and passed over rollers 2 and 3 between which there is disposed, at a higher elevation, a hopper 4 for the grit particles to be applied to the surface of said web. In passing from the vat, theweb carries a film of the molten asphaltum as aqsurface coating the thickness of which depends somewhat n the character the asphaltum and its fl ldity in the vat? During the passage of the web underneat said hopper a continuous shower of the grit particles is projected the hot and soft coating on said upper face.

The web then passes over a roller 5 which is disposed atan angle of forty-five degrees to the axes of the rollers 2 and 3 over which the web passes, its upper face now becoming inverted. It now passes through the machine which may be compared to a printing press where the under or grit coated surface is ornamented by the application of the hot liquid asphaltum thereto. shown to best advantage in Fig. 3 and comprises a suitable frame in which there are supported idle rolls 6 and 7 and suitable guide devices 8 for guiding the roofing in travel therethrough. Contiguous to that end of the machine farthest from the point of admission of the web thereto is a vat 8 for asphaltum maintained heated to the desired degree of five hundred degrees Fahr. more or less, depending largely upon the flash point of the particular grade of asphaltum employed, it being preferable to employ a material of this character having a very high melting point and a very high flash point. This asphaltum is maintained hot in any suitable manner, as by maintaining a fire in the furnace 9 below the same. A printing roller 10 is mounted to rotate partially within said vat and to project below the liquid level therein, whereby the ridged or raised design imparting surface thereof, is adapted to carry up asphaltum to be applied to the grit coated surface of the roofing passed over said printing roll, the same being pressed into close contact with the latter by means of the presser roll 11 mounted to rotate above and exert its weight or pressure upon the now upper face of the roofing. Rolls 12 and 13, disposed to cause the roofing to pass between the same before passing over the printing roll, are adapted to aid in maintaining a uniform travel of said roofing through the machine so as to cause the design or configuration to be printed or 'applied thereto uniformly as in the case of the manufacture of wall paper whereby contiguous strips of the web are adapted to be properly matched in laying the roofing. The roofing then passes over an idle roll 14 and upwardly at an incline over sheaves 15 and upon the rope carrier or conveyer 16. During passage from the roller 14 to the sheaves 15 the ornamented face of the roofing passes below a hopper 17 from which sand or similar fine particles of a mineral matter is projected upon said ornamented surface and caused to adhere to the still hot and soft superposed configuration of asphaltum applied by the printing roller.

A blast of air may be caused to impinge upon the roofing from the pipe 18 suitably connected with the delivery end of a fan or blower, the latter being omitted from illus- The machine is tration. The effect of the blast of air will be to chill the roofing to effect an immediate coagulation of the soft asphaltum.

The printing mechanism particularly adapted to the carrying out of my present method is shown and described in detail in my copending application filed Nov. 26, 1913, Ser. No. 803,131, reference being had thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. The hereindescribed method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having a grit coated face which consists in applying to the grit coated surface thereof in predetermined outlines, asphaltum at a tempera-V ture rendering the same very fluid and free flowing by means of a printing element heated to an equally high temperature and adapted to heat those portions of the grit surface and the underlying asphaltic coating holding the grit particles with which said element contacts, to a temperature suflicient to soften said underlyingasphaltic coating, whereby the liquid asphaltum applied by said element will be caused to penetrate said grit coating and amalgamate with said un-, derlying asphaltic coating.

2. The herein described method of orna- -menting prepared asphaltic roofing having flowing by means of an equally hot printing element having projecting portions in the predetermined pattern aforesaid, whereby to heat the grit particles with which said projecting portions contact and the portions of the asphaltum coating in which said particles are partially embedded to a degree suflicient to cause the last-named portions of said coating to become fluid to an extent sufficient to effect an amalgamation between the same and applied fluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating.

3. The hereindescribed method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having an asphaltum coated surface in which color imparting grit particles are partially embedded, which consists in applying over the surface formed by said grit particles and in .jecting portions contact and the portions of the asphaltum coating in which said particles are partially embedded to a degree sufficient to cause the last-named portions of said coating to become fluid to an extent sufficient to effect an amalgamation between the same and applied fluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating and then subjecting the ornamented surface to the action of means adapted to deprive the applied asphaltum of its free flowin qualities.

4. The hereindescrib (1 method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having an asphaltum coated surface in which color imparting grit particles are partially embedded, which consists in applying over the surface formed by said grit particles and in predetermined outline to produce the desired design thereon and while said roofing is hot, liquid asphaltum at a temperature renderin the same very free flowing by means 0 an equally hot printing element having projecting portions in the predetermined pattern aforesaid, whereby to heat the grit particles with which said projecting portions contact and the portions of the asphaltum coating in which said particles are partially embedded to a degree suflicient to cause the last-named portions of said coatingto become fluid to an extent suificient to effect an amalgamation between the same and applied fluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating.

5. The hereindescribed method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having an asphaltum coated surface in which color imparting gritparticles are partially embedded, which consists in applylng over'the surface formed by said grit particles and in predetermined outline to produce the desired desi thereon and while said roofing is hot, 7 liquld asphaltum at a temperature rendering the same very free flowing by means of an equally hot printing element having projecting,portions in the predetermined pattern I aforesaid, whereby to heat the grit particles with which said projecting portions contact and the ortions of the asphaltum coating in which said particles are partially embedded to a degree suflicient to cause the lastnamed portions of said coating to become fluid to an extent sufficient to effect an amalgamation between the same and applied fluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating and then subjecting the ornamented surface to the action of means adapted to deprive the applied asphaltum of its free flowing qualities.

6. The hereindescribed method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having an asphaltum coated surface in which color imparting grit particles are partially embedded, which consists in applying over the surface formed by said grit particles and in predetermined outline to produce the desired design thereon, and .while said roofing is hot to a degree maintaining said grit holding coating thereof soft, liquid asphaltum-at a temperature rendering the same very free flowing by means of an equally hot printing element having projecting portions in the predetermined pattern aforesaid, wherebyto heat the grit particles with which said projecting portions contact and the portions of the asphaltum coating in which said particlesare partially embedded to a degree suflicient to cause the last-named portions of said coating to become fluid to an extent sufficient to effect an amalgamation between the same and applied fluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating.

7. The hereindescribed method of ornamenting prepared asphaltic roofing having an asphaltum coated surface in which color imparting grit particles are partially embedded, whichconsists in applying over the surface formed by saidgrit particles and in predetermined outline to produce the desired desi thereon, and while said roofing is hot to a degree maintaining said grit holding coating thereof soft, liquid asphaltum at a temperature rendering the same very free flowing by means of an equally h'ot printing element having projecting portions in the predetermined pattern aforesaid, whereby to 7 heat the grit particles with'which said projecting portions contact and the portions of the asphaltum coating in which said particles are partially embedded to a degree sufficient to cause the last-named portions of said coating to become fluid to an extent suflicient to effect anamalgamation between the same and appliedjfluid asphaltum penetrating the grit coating'and then subjecting the ornamented surface to the action of means adapted to deprive the applied asphaltum of its free flowing qualities.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATHIAS B. BECKER. Witnesses:

M. M. BOYLE, G. M. NEVIILE. 

